Notre Dame extended Research Community (NDeRC)

Graduate Fellow: Position Description

NDeRC Graduate Fellow Application_6.docx

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Students in the Colleges of Engineering and Science

The purpose of this page is to describe the position of Graduate Fellow on the Notre Dame extended Reseach Community (NDeRC) project. NDeRC is a five year National Science Foundation Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) project. The project began in July, 2007 and extends until June, 2012. The fellowships usually begin on May 16th and extend for one year with a second year possible. The GK-12 program limits the fellowships to a maximum of two years. The fellowships include a generous stipend, health insurance for the fellow and travel funds.

NDeRC aims to foster vibrant STEM community and rich STEM culture in the Michiana area. (STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) The NDeRC Graduate Fellows (Fellows) both foster and benefit from STEM community and culture. The fellowships are designed to prepare the Fellows for their future endeavors in fostering STEM community and culture. We intend that the fellowships be both experiential and reflective.

Research

In order to foster STEM community and culture among and around the Fellows we have identified three areas of importance: research, pedagogy and communication. Research is of primary importance to graduate students and to the GK-12 program. NDeRC's intent is that the Fellow's research proceed at the customary pace for a graduate student with a teaching assistantship (i.e. an average of 15 hours per week on GK-12 related activities). During the summer (30 hours per week from early June until early August) each Fellow conducts their research with the assistance of an experienced, local K-12 STEM Teacher (Lead Teacher or Teacher). We expect the Fellow-Teacher relationship to progress from training to assisting to collaborating in research. During the summer the Fellow and the Teacher should begin to plan how they are going to engage K-12 students in inquiry-based learning focused on the Fellow's research and/or related topics. During the academic year the Fellow and the Teacher implement and adjust their plan.

Pedagogy

The Fellow's skills in the pedagogical arts are fostered in several ways. First and foremost, their interaction with the experienced, local K-12 STEM Teacher should progress from training to assisting to collaborating in pedagogy. Second, the regular presence (an average of 5 hours per week during the academic year) of the Fellows in K-12 classrooms informs the Fellows as to the current educational environment at the K-12 level. Thirdly, the Fellows and Teachers participate in the "Introduction to Pedagogy Seminar" during the early fall of their first year. The Fellows and Teachers consider many aspects of learning: brain function and development, physical environment and social environment. Fourthly, we participate in several local events (Science Alive!, Science Spooktacular, the K-12 Forum, the Teacher Institutes, tours/labs in Jordan Hall, etc.) where we provide K-12 teachers and/or students an opportunity to further experience STEM culture.

Communication

To facilitate our efforts regular communication is essential. Below are some of the ways we communicate.

Mode	Participants	Timing	Topics
Summer Biweekly Mtgs	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	2.0 hrs/mtg, ~4mtgs/summer	Per Agenda
AY Biweekly Meetings	Fellows and NDeRC Coordinator	2.0 hrs/mtg, ~15 mtgs/AY	Per Agenda
Planning Meetings	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	3 hrs/quarter	Planning and Review
Wiki	Fellows, Teachers & Students	Weekly	Document activities
Blog	Fellows, Teachers & Coordinator	Weekly	Reflect on activities
e-mail	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	frequently-as needed	General
e-calendar	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	frequently-as needed	General
Phone	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	infrequently-as needed	General

NDeRC Graduate Fellow Hours

Calculation of NDeRC Year
40 weeks = 8 weeks + 16 weeks + 16 weeks
(Year = Summer + Sem 1 + Sem 2)

Calculation of GK-12 Program Requirements
600hr = 15hr/wk * 40 wks (all NDeRC/GK-12 activity: an average of 15hr/wk is required by the GK-12 program)
400hr = 2/3 * 600hr (in a physical location where learning takes place: a subset of the 600hr above, also required by the GK-12 program)

Estimation of Hours for an NDeRC Fellow's Principal Activities
80hr = 2hr/wk*40wk (on-line presence and communication: wiki, blogs, e-mail, phone, etc.)
150hr = 30hr/wk*5wk (summer research in graduate student's area of research with a Lead Teacher & a high school student)
30hr (institute preparation with Lead Teacher)
30hr (institute with Lead Teacher and Collaborating Teachers)
10hr (summer training and workshops)
160hr = 5hr/wk*32wk (in classrooms during AY)
64hr = 2hr/wk*32wk (classroom preparation during AY)
30hr (events)
54hr (meetings)

Totals
608hr = 80hr+150hr+30hr+30hr+10hr+160hr+64hr+30hr+54hr (all NDeRC/GK-12 activity: 600hr required)
400hr = 150hr+30hr+30hr+160hr+30hr (in a physical location where learning takes place: 400hr required, a subset of the 620hr above)

Further Details

The yearly NDeRC Calendar follows.

Event	Additional Event Description	Participants	Approximate Timing
Begin/renew graduate fellowships	One year with the possibility of a second		May 16
Biweekly Meetings	Communication	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	Year-Round
First Planning & Review Meeting	Plan summer research	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	End of May - 3.0hr
Summer research begins		Fellows and Teachers	Second week of June
Summer training & workshops	Creating an online presence for research and education	Fellows, Teachers & Coordination Team	Periodically throughout the summer (10hrs)
BioEYES Summer Institute	Week-long institute for the BioEYES activity and modern biochemistry labs	Biology & Biochemistry Fellows, Teachers, Coordinator & Invited Teachers	Late June
ASTRO, ENVIRO & NANO Institutes	Week-long institutes for these collaborations	Fellows, Teachers, Coordinator & Invited Teachers	June and July
Second Planning & Review Meeting	Review & plan first semester activities	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	End of July - 3.0hr
Summer research ends			First week of August
K-12 classes start			Third week of August
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Meeting	Review of NDeRC Project	Faculty Advisors/Mentors, NDeRC PIs and NDeRC Coordination Team	mid-September
Introduction to Pedagogy Seminar	Convenes during biweekly meeting time slot	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinator	September, October and November: 4 Sessions
Science Spooktacular	Organized by ETHOS at their Elkhart offices	Fellows and Teachers	Friday evening and Saturday day in mid to late October
Collaborating for Education and Research Forum	Foster local STEM community & culture	Local Teachers, Parents, University Personnel, Fellows and NDeRC Coordination Team	Early December
Third Planning & Review Meeting	Review and plan second semester activities	Fellows, Teachers and Coordinators	mid-December - 3.0hr
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Meeting	Review NDeRC Project	Faculty Advisors/Mentors, NDeRC PIs and NDeRC Coordination Team	mid-January
School Science Fair Assistance	Each Fellow Assists in a school	Fellows	January and February
Science Alive!	For children preK-8 at St. Joseph County Library's Main Branch in Downtown South Bend	Fellows and Teachers	First Saturday in February: 9am to 4pm
School Science Fair Judging	Each Fellow judges one school	Fellows	February
GK-12 Annual Meeting	Washington, D. C.	Some Fellows, Teachers, PIs and Coordination Team Members	March
Fourth Planning & Review Meeting	Review and plan next year	Fellows, Teachers, PIs and Coordination Team	mid-April - 3.0hr
Annual Report & Survey	Information will be requested of the Fellows & Teachers re GK-12 project		April-May
Biweekly Meetings Adjourn for Summer	Communication		mid-May
K-12 classes end			End of May
Monthly Summary of Event and Meeting Calendar	Does NOT Include Summer Research & Training (240hrs)	Does NOT Include Communication Activities which will average 2hrs/wk	Does NOT Include AY School Visits (5hrs/wk) or AY Class Preparation (2hrs/wk)
Month	Number of Events + No of (Plan&Rev+BiWkly Mtgs) = Total Number of Events & Mtgs	After Hour Events	Event Hrs + (Plan&Rev+BiWkly Mtg) Hrs = Total Hours of Events & Meetings
May	0+(1+2) = 3	Plan&Rev Mtg	0 + (3+4) = 7
June	0+(0+2) = 2	BioEYES Institute: Biology & Biochemistry Fellows	0 + (0+4) = 4
July	0+(1+2) = 3	Plan&Rev Mtg	0 + (3+4) = 7
August	0+(0+0) = 0		0 + (0+0) = 0
September	0+(0+2) = 2		0 + (0+4) = 4
October	1+(0+2) = 3	Science Spooktacular	4 + (0+4) = 8
November	0+(1+2) = 3	Plan&Rev Mtg	0 + (3+4) = 7
December	1+(0+1) = 2	Forum	6 + (0+2) = 8
January	1+(0+2) = 3	Science Fair Assist	6 + (0+4) = 10
February	2+(0+2) = 4	Local Science Fair Judge & Science Alive!	8 + (0+4) = 12
March	1+(0+2) = 3	Regional Science Fair Judge & GK-12 Annual Mtg	6 + (0+4) = 10
April	0+(1+2) = 3	Plan&Rev Mtg	0 + (3+4) = 7
Total			30+(12+42)=84

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